| Summary: | This study aimed to isolate polysaccharides from <i>Penthorum chinense</i> Pursh and evaluate their rheological characteristics, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant activity. The optimal conditions for the maximal extraction yield of <i>Penthorum chinense</i> Pursh polysaccharides (4.05 ± 0.12%) were determined by employing a single-factor test and response surface methodology which included an extraction time of 3 h, a liquid–solid ratio of 20 mL/g, and three separate extraction times. The rheological experiments showcased that the <i>P. chinense</i> polysaccharides exhibited typical shear-thinning behavior, with their apparent viscosity being influenced by various parameters such as concentration, pH, temperature, salt content, and freeze–thaw. The purified polysaccharides (PCP-100), having an average molecular weight of 1.46 × 10<sup>6</sup> Da, mainly consisted of glucose (18.99%), arabinose (22.87%), galactose (26.72%), and galacturonic acid (21.89%). Furthermore, the PCP-100 exhibited high thermal stability and displayed an irregular sheet-like morphology. Its superior reducing power and free radical scavenging ability implied its significant antioxidant activity in vitro. Collectively, these findings provide important insights for the future application of <i>P. chinense</i> polysaccharides in the food industry.
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